這是芬蘭導演郭利斯馬基 (Aki Kaurismäki) 於 2002 年的作品，當年奪得康城影展的評審團大獎和最佳女主角。男主角晚上在巴士站等車時被「扑頭」搶劫，醒來後忘了自己是誰。由於沒有名字，他沒法找到工作，與無家可歸的人為伍，直到遇到身為救世軍的女主角為止。

只看故事大綱，我還以為對社會控訴的文藝片。可是各演員冷峻的演出反而帶出喜劇感，全場觀眾 (包括我) 笑聲不斷。

香港電影網

Shattered Glass is based on a true story. Stephen Glass, then aged 25, was a writer for The New Republic, a magazine on politics known as “the only in-flight magazine on Air Force One”. Glass was popular amongst colleagues, and an up-and-coming journalist. But then Forbes Digital Tool, an online publication, found out that one of Glass’s piece, “Hack Heaven”, was a total fabrication.

It is ironic as we always think that printed media is more reliable than online media, but it turned out to be a digital magazine which unveiled the truth. Many people choose not to read the news anymore, but the more sensible approach, I suppose, is to be critical when you read everything.

Regarding the cast performance, Hayden Christensen reminded me of himself in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, he was just Anakin Skywalker again. I am not familiar with the rest of the cast, except Hank Azaria who is brilliant as usual.

Reference: the Forbes Digital Tool articles:

• Forbes smokes out fake New Republic story on hackers
• Tracking lies
• Lies, damn lies and fiction

Side-note: I should have bought the area-code-1 version DVD, which contains an interview of Stephen Glass on 60 Minutes.

Pieces of April is the directorial debut of Peter Hedges who was the scriptwriter of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and About a Boy. It is a Thanksgiving adventure. April (played by Katie Holmes), who ran away from home to New York years ago, was going to prepare a Thanksgiving lunch for her family. Of course, there would be some problems for someone who is cooking for the first time in her life, so April had to get help from her never-say-hi neighbours. On the other hand, it was a struggle, both physically and mentally, for April’s dying mother (Patricia Clarkson) to get to her place. The process is hilarious, and the ending is touching.

This film was voted by the audience of Hong Kong International Film Festival as the Most Touching Movie of the Festival. It deserves the recognition.

I watched Troy last night.

From my very, very limited knowledge, I always think that women and goddesses play an important part in Greek mythology. But that is not the case in this movie. The supposed-to-be-the-most-beautiful Helen of Troy was played by Diane Kruger whom I have never heard of (and it is not surprising after I checked her filmography). To say the least, it is not convincing to me that a war would be fought for this lady.

The apparently weak female cast is compensated by a line of famous actors: Brad Pitt, Peter O’Toole and Orlando Bloom (who will be an archer, forever ). My most favourite one is Eric Bana who played Hector, the elder Prince of Troy (perhaps due to the fact that Hector is the only sane and reasonable person in this story).

The battle scenes are overwhelming in Troy, especially when I saw the Greek fleet. The final fight between Archilles and Hector is great. By the way, was it common for Hollywood movies to add the sound effect of a humming sword? Or they started to do it after Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?

又一次證明蔡明亮的電影不是我的那杯茶。幸好今次我起碼知道他想說台灣電影的末落，和懷念六十年代的興盛。